stellaris
by snogfairy
Summary: Natsu Dragneel wakes up to find that the freckles that covered his nose and cheeks since the beginning of time have mysteriously disappeared. As compensation for the theft, he very soon realizes, he finds himself in the company of an odd blonde girl… with his freckles on her cheeks! She tells him she came from the stars – and that his freckles grant wishes. [NaLu Magic Freckles AU]
1. Chapter 1

Here I go with yet another oneshot no one asked for! :'D This one was inspired by a friend's freckly Natsu headcanon and comes with a **pre-summary** :

 _Natsu Dragneel wakes up to find that the freckles that covered his nose and cheeks since the beginning of time have mysteriously disappeared. As compensation for the theft, he very soon realizes, he finds himself in the company of an odd blonde girl… with his freckles on her cheeks! She tells him she came from the stars – and that his freckles grant wishes._

 **This is such a ridiculous and odd little story, I have no idea what it even is, really. I just had to write this to get it out of my system! *strangled sounds* I have no restraint, I swear. I hope you don't either when it comes to reading and leaving feedback! B) Hope you like!**

I'll be posting this on here in **twelve parts** , but because they're **really short** I'll be **updating daily**.

 **STELLARIS**

* * *

 _;stēllāris m, f – of or pertaining to a star; stellar, starry._

* * *

 **aquarius**

* * *

Some said freckles brought good luck. Some said they were the marks of the devil.

Whether either or none of those were correct, Natsu had never known.

He only knew he had been granted a whole damn lot of them.

His father had called them fire sprinkles, and he'd always loved them for this very reason and more. They were dotted all over his cheeks and nose, as if someone had taken a brush of light red paint and shaken it out in front of him. They were in other parts too, like his shoulders and some stray ones in various other places, but it had always been his face that had attracted most attention.

Natsu liked to think it was not _only_ because of the freckles. Not like he cared too much.

He ruffled a damp towel through his equally damp hair before carelessly flinging it to the side. With a content yawn and extensive stretch, he let himself drop onto his bed. The old thing squeaked terribly, and for a second he thought it might finally break.

"Sure wish this stupid thing could make up its mind," he grunted as he wobbled along with the frame that stood on shaky wooden legs.

But it stilled, and so Natsu messily wrapped the sheets around his (naked, because there wasn't really any other way to sleep if you valued your comfort) body. It took only a few seconds before he fell into a sound, snore-induced sleep.

He awoke because something was tickling his nose.

Blinking against the invading, bright light of day, he groggily lifted a hand to brush away what he assumed to be Happy's tail. His rude cat had always loved to tease him.

"Ouch!" a feminine voice called, and Natsu's eyes shot open. His hand had collided with skin, presumably a cheek or nose, or both, and even in his half-asleep state he realized this was not supposed to happen.

"Is this really how you greet your heaven-sent, wish-granting new roommate?" the voice chided again. Natsu, starting to get irritated with this unusual wake-up call, shot upright in his bed. He came face to face with a girl.

"What," he retorted cleverly.

Strands of his rosy hair fell onto his forehead, and he pushed them back angrily, blinking to moisten his dry eyes. Contrary to his hopes, the girl did not disappear like misty fog in a forest as fatigue left him. She remained solid and very real. Natsu pinched himself, and she giggled.

"Don't worry, I'm real," she said with a bright smile.

Natsu had been about to inform her that this was _exactly_ what he was worried about, but somehow the words became stuck in his throat. Instead, he simply stared at her, entirely flabbergasted.

His mind came up with absolutely no explanation for what was happening.

And the longer he stared, he realized that this was not just any trespassing stranger who might have broken into his apartment. But the first thing he noticed was that her face was covered in freckles much like his own. _Eerily_ like his own. It almost felt like she'd plucked them from his face, freckle by freckle, to place them onto hers in exactly the same familiar pattern he saw in the mirror every day. Her hair was quite literally golden, sparkling lightly, and the tips of sharp ears peeked through silky strands. Something about her seemed… ethereal.

It was silly, but this was the first word that popped into his mind.

But he didn't tell her that. Instead, he ignored the weird sensation and said: "Listen, I don't need any cosplay freaks breaking into my apartment, so how 'bout I turn around and sleep a few more hours and when I wake up you'll be gone and I'll have forgotten about this weird dream."

"That's not how this works," she said cheerfully, and he began to realize that a low, amused giggle seemed to _cling_ to her voice at all times. He wasn't quite sure what was supposed to be so fucking funny.

"Go away," he groaned.

"I can't go away," she quipped, getting up and stretching until she stood on her tippy toes and her weird shirt rose so high it revealed a slip of her stomach. "Not until you use your wishes, that is."

"My what," he echoed dumbly.

She glanced down, a twinkle in her eyes.

"I don't ask you to believe me," she began, and from her tone and expression he knew that she took what she was about to tell him seriously, "But I came from the stars, and I took your freckles because they can grant you wishes. With my help."

Oh, great. She was a lunatic.

But she was also quite obviously not human. So maybe she _did_ have a point.

Natsu didn't quite want to even attempt to wrap his head around it.

"If you can grant wishes, how bout you start by fixing my bed." He laughed, dropping back down. Belatedly, he realized it had not wobbled once since he had woken up. (Which was weird, because he usually counted at least three wobbles before even getting up.)

"But I already did that," she said in surprise. "You wished for that, didn't you? Besides, you have to say _I wish,_ out loud. The way you did it now it wouldn't work!"

Puffing her cheeks and putting her hands onto her hips, she stood in front of him and looked rather scandalized, as if he was a child who had not understood the simplest of rules.

"Sorry?" he mumbled, while simultaneously wiggling around on his bed in an attempt to get it to move. It stood proud and tall. Even the formerly peeling paint looked shiny and new.

"You look quite silly right now," she informed him dryly.

"You really can grant wishes?!" he cried suddenly, having finished the inspection of his bed and feeling a sudden exhilaration at the thought that this might indeed be real and happening.

"I told you I could," she dead-panned. She didn't seem very impressed with his deduction skills.

"Are you, like, a genie?"

"No."

"How many wishes do I get? Three?"

"No."

"How many?"

"As many as there are freckles on your – well now on _my_ – face."

Natsu's mouth formed a perfect circle, excitement shining from his face in waves (because those were _a lot_ of wishes), when he suddenly froze. "Wait," he gasped. "My freckles… my freckles!"

Jumping up, he raced over to his closet mirror, and almost screamed when he saw his face.

(Lucy on the other hand almost screamed when she saw he was _naked_.)

They were gone. His freckles were really gone!

After he had inspected every last inch of his face in disbelief, he slowly turned around.

His freckle thief grinned.


	2. Chapter 2

**pisces**

* * *

"You can't be serious!"

"Cat food is expensive, you know!"

"Natsu, you are wasting those wishes like an idiot! Maybe you should wish for some common sense!"

"I have enough of that," Natsu declared proudly, "which is why _I wish_ to have a lifetime supply of cat food."

He pointedly emphasized the words he knew would render her powerless, and she scowled.

The doorbell rang.

"You better have those Deluxe Tuna and Salmon Cans at the ready when I come back," he threatened with a devilish grin before sauntering out of the room. When he was out of hearing range, Lucy snorted.

"Yeah right," she chuckled to herself, "As if I'd do all the work."

Bending down, she petted her newest feline friend. Happy purred contently, as if he knew what awaited him for the rest of his life.

It took Natsu three hours to carry all the cat food boxes into the apartment.

"You didn't really specify," Lucy purred, quite self-pleasedly watching him as he walked past her for the first time, with a glare and a stack of Deluxe Tuna and Salmon Cans that reached almost above his head.

He'd ignored her with a grunt, but his unfazedness had soon turned into complaining, and then pitiful begging. Happy and Lucy watched the entirety of his struggle from the couch.

And if all that degradation hadn't been enough, in the end he had to wish for a spare room.

This wasn't what he had imagined when he had first met his magical, freckled wish granter from the stars. Lucy was _cruel_. And he certainly was not to blame at all. This was her evil doing, not the fault of his rash decision making!

And so Natsu learned to word his wishes more carefully.

* * *

As I said, very short little parts. :D Next update tomorrow! Also:

 **As I said, this story is already written and posted on tumblr in its entirety, _you do not have to ask me to continue it_. It is already written. As I said in the author's note. Reading that usually helps. :)))**

Thanks to the lovely reviewers!

 _Snavey Cj233 rushikikku Angela-the-neko BatheMeInSprinkles Yuyui Hime Twishadowhunter FireDragonPhia pucksabrinadaphne CrazyOtakuShipper NaluFTFanatic 13 OfInkNRoses kk2788_


	3. Chapter 3

**aries**

* * *

It had been over a week now, since that pain of a genie girl had appeared in his life.

And it seemed rather than granting his wishes, she was dead set on haunting him. As soon as he entered the apartment, she was there, not leaving his side – and always _smiling_. Lucy was a very curious and cheerful person, and while she also was dutiful, her mischief paired with Natsu's daftness usually led to small disasters. So while she did fulfil his wishes, they usually did not go the way he wanted them to go.

And so, for the last two days, he had been plotting.

(Other small revenges included painting her face when she slept on his couch, hiding his food from her, and even scare-jumps.)

But now, he would beat her with her own weapons.

"Lucy," he drawled out, and watched with evil anticipation as she came scurrying into the room. Her innocent face was almost enough to make him weak.

Not to mention the fact that she was wearing his clothes.

Considering the fact she'd appeared in some sort of heavenly, silky, and rather transparent piece of clothing, Natsu had been forced to offer up his own collection. Lucy had taken a liking to stealing, butchering and reinventing his clothes, coming and going in and out of his closet as she pleased.

He, on the other hand, was never allowed into a room she was in without announcing himself first. He'd learned that the hard way – in the bathroom. This was where the rule had been created by a screeching Lucy, after all.

Hell, he wasn't used to living with a person of the other sex! Or any person, really.

Happy and he had been doing just fine. And yet… Lucy was fun. And a refreshingly different addition to his daily life.

Now she cocked her head, awaiting whatever he had planned for her today.

"I wish," he started, lowering his head to fix her under a knowing, very pleased stare, "that _you_ wish for yarn – let's say thirty balls of it, red, orange and yellow – and then you manually knit as many fire patterned pullovers as you can."

Lucy stared at him in disbelief.

"Revenge!" he cackled, "That's what you get!"

He didn't mention that a fire patterned pullover had been a dream of his for a long time.

"Make them nice and wooly."

(They all turned out rather ugly, but he kept one and wore it like a treasure.)


	4. Chapter 4

**taurus**

* * *

Something was different about her.

And it wasn't just the way her smile made his insides warm up, or how he'd gotten used to her presence lingering so joyfully in his flat, turning it into a home rather than a place to stay.

She'd only been in his life for two weeks, and yet Natsu already found himself changed, and it had less to do with the wishes she granted him (he had never wished for anything more than trifles, after all) and more to do with _her_.

The wishes were a curious thing. At first, he had simply begun to aimlessly wish for things in an effort to make her disappear again to return to his peace and quiet, but then they had obtained a new meaning. They had turned to means of teasing and pranking, and still they were wished away without much thought.

The true power they conveyed had never been entirely clear to Natsu, though he had known on some level. He'd never wished for such power to begin with, and so he'd preferred to push the knowledge away and continue with his bagatelles.

It was fun, after all. Lucy was fun.

He glanced over at her, lazing on the couch with the biggest book she had found on his shelf. (Not like there were many to begin with, only a handful that lay messily scattered across the place.)

Her love of books and stories were another thing that, for some reason, greatly pleased him.

A lot about her did. He found himself unwilling to let her go, and so he hoped she would stick around. He wondered how long she would.

But the freckles on her face were many; hundreds of wishes for his choosing.

"Hey Lucy," he said as he dropped down beside her, making her lose her place on the page. Her brows furrowed, and she placed a delicate finger between the pages before she closed the book around it and looked up. "I wish I didn't have to go to work today."

"Is that a good reason to make a wish? To be _irresponsible_? You're impossible!" she scolded, though he knew the wish was already doing its work. He had spoken the words, and there was no going back. He had learned that much. "Really, you'll waste them all away. Do you know nothing about restraint, saving up, _savouring_?"

"Shouldn't you be happy I wanna spend my time with you?" he asked with a bright, innocent grin, and her frown crumbled in favour of a light blush that coated her cheeks.

"W-what," she all but stuttered, picking her book back up to cover her face, and murmuring something he could not understand.

Was he throwing away his wishes?

The question quietly nagged at him.

Where were the limits to them? How far would he be able to go?

But then another thing caught his attention.

Squinting, he leaned in closer towards Lucy.

He'd never realized it before, but right now he was sure one of the more prominent freckles on her nose had vanished into thin air.

"They disappear?!" he asked indignantly, "You're _throwing away_ my freckles?"

Lucy looked confused, then laughed.

"Oh, of course! You didn't notice?" She cocked her head, coming closer to maneuver him over to the mirror by his shoulders."I don't throw them away. I give them back."

Natsu gaped at his face. There it was, the freckle on his nose that had always been the largest, right on the tip. Back where it belonged.

Lucy was right, of course, even though he'd never noticed until this moment. He understood now.

With each of his wishes, one of her freckles disappeared – and reappeared on his skin.


	5. Chapter 5

**gemini**

* * *

"Would you like a steak too, Natsu?" Natsu called from the kitchen.

"Why yes, Natsu, that would be lovely!" Natsu called back.

Lucy clutched Happy to her chest on the couch, staring at the wall in silent pain.

This had been going on for an entire day now.

Two Natsus simply were one too many.

Happy meowed, as if in agreement, and Lucy snuggled him closer as she watched one of the Natsus dust off the living room table, a bandana wrapped around his head as he whistled an unrecognizable melody.

Well, at least now she didn't have to summon Virgo to do it.

It would only last another night, Lucy had insisted on that. Even if she _did_ get to keep her couch.

(He'd offered Lucy share his bed with him, but for some reason she had vehemently refused.)

There were too many potential catastrophes awaiting if two Natsus remained in existence for too long.

One of them had already happened: they'd invited her into bed with them.

They'd fled for their lives for half an hour before Lucy had calmed down, even though they'd insisted they hadn't meant it _that way_.

But the mischief in their eyes had not went ignored.

And so the boys had shared the bed yesterday, leaving Lucy to listen to their _giggles_ when she tried to fall asleep. Even Happy had abandoned her.

She didn't want to admit it, but part of her thought a sleepover would be fun.

And so, that night, she grabbed her blanket and stomped over into the bedroom, setting it down onto the ground beside the bed.

"Don't say a word," she hissed as two pairs of eyes stared at her in surprise. Dropping down, she rolled herself into the blanket. "If you snore, I will leave."

For a second, everything was quiet.

Then a quiet chaos broke loose as both shuffled to provide her with enough blankets and pillows for her to be comfortable on the ground, beaming at her when their work was done.

She covered her face in her many pillows to hide her smile.


	6. Chapter 6

**cancer**

* * *

"You want what?!"

"You don't think it'd be cool?"

" _No_ , Natsu," Lucy wailed, throwing her hands into the air in desperation, "I don't think an undercut with a red-dyed mohawk would be _cool_. It would be a disaster!"

Natsu pouted.

But her stare was icy, and he broke within seconds. Crossing his arms over his chest in a last act of defiance, he faced her again. " _You_ were the one who said to cut my hair."

"That's because you can barely see anymore, and you refuse to tie it up!"

Well… she might have a point.

"Fine," he grumbled, sitting down on the chair she had carried into the bathroom.

It wasn't like he'd ever had a choice.

Sometimes he wondered who was _really_ controlling the wishes. More often than not, he seemed to be butter in her clever hands.

Though he did not mind her hands, not really. Especially when they touched him like that. He hummed contently as she stroked through his hair, a concentrated look on her face as she contemplated her possibilities.

She raised a pair of scissors, and Natsu's heart sank.

"Are you sure you can cut my hair? I didn't exactly wish any hairdresser skills onto you."

"It can't be that hard can it?" she protested snippily, raising her nose. "I'm sure I'm blessed with natural talent."

She was not.

Natsu learned that the hard way.

(It took another wish for her to summon her friend, and for the damage to be repaired.)


	7. Chapter 7

**om...g... i totally forgot to update this every day OTL I'M SO SORRY :'D HERE YOU GO NOW. The rest should be posted every day, if it's not feel free to remind me! It's all been written in one go anyways...so there's no pressure. I'm so forgetful omg. Thanks for your support!**

* * *

 **leo**

* * *

"Aren't you ever lonely?" she asked him one day.

"I have lots of friends!" he objected with a grin, "And I have you and Happy!"

"No other family?"

Natsu faltered.

He shrugged. "No," he said after a moment, "not in a long time."

Neither mentioned it again until later that night.

It was movie night, and so they sat huddled together on the sofa beneath a cuddly blanket, with Happy acting as a purring pillow between them.

Natsu's eyes were directed at the TV, but they were not seeing what unfolded on the screen. He'd been unnaturally quiet.

"Hey, Lucy…" he mumbled at some point, slightly turning in her direction but avoiding her face. "About the wishes, I've been wondering…"

Curiously, she turned, the sense of dread she'd felt in her stomach all day long multiplying when she saw his face. He was still staring straight ahead.

"Yes?" she asked carefully when he didn't go on.

Looking down at his hands, he took a deep breath. "My dad. Can I wish for him?"

Lucy hesitated. "That depends…" she began, but from his whole demeanor she feared the worst. "Is he… is he traveling?"

Natsu smiled, but there was no joy to be found on his face.

"He's dead."

Of course he was. She'd known, and yet a part of her had clung to hope.

"Natsu… there are things even wishes cannot grant. Life and death, and love… they are not within even my reach. I'm sorry."

Natsu nodded. Finally, he met her eyes.

"No, it's alright. I thought so. It was silly."

"It wasn't silly!" she protested, reaching out for him. "It wasn't silly at all. I understand."

His lips formed a thin line and before he could do anything, Lucy pulled him into a hug. After a short moment, she felt him bury his head into her shoulder. They sat there quietly for a long time.

When Natsu finally broke the silence, he sniffed once, quietly, before murmuring against her ear.

"Then… can I wish for Happy to be able to talk instead?"

A small smile crept onto Lucy's face, and she wiped away a tear she hoped he wouldn't see when he pulled back. She laughed softly.

"That is the best wish you've made yet."


	8. Chapter 8

**virgo**

* * *

"I cannot _believe_ you are doing this to me!"

Lucy pulled at her miniscule skirt, shooting Natsu a deathly glare.

Really? You can't? I can," Natsu cackled, a devilish grin stretching across his face. "It suits you."

The last statement seemed to calm Lucy at last, and she turned towards the mirror, tugging at the skimpy outfit that had been bestowed upon her.

It _did_ suit her. Of course it did.

Still, defiance made her keep this thought to herself, and so she merely grumbled in Natsu's direction.

His grin did not waver.

"One day," he reminded her. "That's not too long."

"It is to me," she hissed. "You're not the one wearing a maid outfit."

"That's because the master does not wear the same uniform as the servant," he told her with a straight face, and she was tempted to shove her feather duster into his stupid mouth.

"I will get my revenge for this," she threatened, and his grin turned dark.

"Boy do I hope so," he taunted in a way that made her cheeks turn red, but then raised an arm to point to the door, "But plot your revenge after you dust off all the shelves, alright?"

Fists clenched at her sides, Lucy marched past Natsu without sparing him a glance.

But just before she made it to the door, he grabbed her wrist and turned her towards him. A sly smirk played around his lips.

"Do you want me to change into a sexy maid outfit too? I could pull it off." She rolled her eyes at so much haughtiness. "It's always more fun together, isn't it?"

For a second, she blinked at him wordlessly, her mouth open but silent.

Then she leaned in closer, her breath tickling his ear.

"I don't think you could handle it," she whispered, biting her lip as she pulled back. To her satisfaction, he looked rather dumbfounded. Finally her sex appeal had done the trick!

But he continued staring with that weird look in his eyes, and suddenly she realized that he also had an effect on _her_. Clearing her throat, she pulled back a few extra inches, ignoring her pounding heart.

"Was that a challenge," he murmured, his voice huskier than she'd ever heard it, and she swallowed thickly.

"Maybe," she managed, but wasn't sure if she sounded as daunting as she wanted to.

Then his grin was back on his face, and he stole the feather duster out of her hand before dashing into the living room.

"The one with the most shelves wins!"

Lucy was left behind with her heart beating to her throat, and she slowly brought a hand up to her chest, eyes wide.

She was so out of it that she didn't even notice she had tricked him into doing her work.


	9. Chapter 9

**libra**

* * *

Squinting, Natsu leaned in closer until he almost bumped noses with Lucy.

She stayed perfectly still, trying not to smile.

His lips moved in concentration, not making a sound, until suddenly he slapped his hand onto his thigh with so much force the sound echoed all around them.

"You're right!" he called. Lucy giggled.

"I told you," she said. "Same amount of freckles."

"And you didn't even have to count," Natsu grumbled. He didn't move back, but continued inspecting her face up close.

He unlaced one of his hands from hers, bringing it up to poke it against a freckle on her cheek.

"I'll steal that one back next," he murmured, and she laughed.

"You can't decide that," she teased, in turn pressing a delicate finger to his forehead and tracing down a line of freckles to his cheek. He hummed.

"What if I just wish for it?"

They continued claiming ownership of the freckles they shared, drawing patterns into each other skin with bright smiles. The cat beside them lifted its head curiously, following their actions with clever eyes.

Oblivious fools.

Natsu, in turn, was having unusual thoughts of his own.

He began to wonder what would happen if he used up every last of his wishes, and all the freckles were back on his face. What would become of Lucy? Would she leave?

The thought did not sit right with him at all, and his hands stilled on her cheek, palm flattening against it.

"Hey Lucy," he mumbled with untypical sobriety, "How long will you stay with me?"

"However long you want me to," she said with a small smile, and his lips slowly stretched into a happy grin.

"Good," he decided.

Still, he would be more careful of his wishes from now on, just to be sure.

He pursed his lips as he thought such complicated thoughts, his face serious and his hand forgotten on her cheek. Lucy's smile grew the longer he remained, chewing on his lip.

And then, suddenly, she leaned forward. It was over before he'd fully registered it, but the feeling of her lips lingered on his, and his eyes grew wide. It had just been a little peck, but his heart had just turned into cotton candy. Lucy seemed as surprised as he was, her hand drawing back from his face to cover her mouth.

They both stared at each other, unsure of what to say.

Natsu decided on action rather than words, leaning forward again with sudden eagerness when a sound interrupted them.

"You like each other," an odd little voice sing-songed, just a little off from being anything close to human. Natsu could swear Happy was grinning.

He groaned quietly, but felt relieved when he caught Lucy smiling.

"Remind me again why I ever made that wish."


	10. Chapter 10

**scorpio**

* * *

Sunlight filtered through the partly drawn curtains, and Natsu groaned as it hit his eyes and black turned to blinding white. He refused to open them just yet, so he turned away, shuffling just out of its reach, and flung an arm across the woman at his side.

Nuzzling into her blonde hair, he hummed contently.

He'd thought she was still sound asleep, but her legs tangled with his in a way that was hardly accidental.

"Sheesh, Natsu, what did I say about separate halves?" Lucy grumbled, still sleepy, but showed no means of brushing him off, "That was part of the sleeping agreement."

"I don't remember," he lied, "It was so many pages… Besides, you're so soft… and cozy…"

He felt, rather than heard, the chuckle reverberate through her.

Turning in his arms, Lucy came to face him.

Her eyes were small from sleep,and she fought to keep them open. But happy wrinkles appeared around them when she smiled at him.

His gaze wandered along her face, from the strands of golden hair that tickled her forehead to her soft skin and round cheeks and full lips. And the longer he looked, the more he realized what was missing: the freckles. His freckles.

Instinctively, he held her closer to reassure himself she was still there with him, and not a dream.

"What the…" she muttered, gently chiding him, when she saw his expression. "What's up with you?"

"Did I really use up all my wishes? I can't have!"

"Oh," Lucy's eyes widened in surprise, and she smiled as she pointed at her right ear.

There right beside it, on the far side of her cheek, sat one single freckle.

"You have one left," she said with a grin, "Don't think I would've just let you use that one carelessly,like the one yesterday."

"What… what happens if I use it?" He finally brought himself to voice the question that had been plaguing him for a long time now.

Lucy hesitated.

"I don't know," she confessed.

"I'll never make a wish then," he murmured as he caressed her cheek.

"I don't think it works that way," she whispered.


	11. Chapter 11

**saggitarius**

* * *

"But Lucy, I like it that way!"

"We're not putting any more chilies into the sauce, Natsu, or so help me," Lucy said, voice straining as she tried to defend her beautiful sauce from his prying hands.

"You're so mean!"

"Aye," Happy agreed from somewhere below, "She didn't let me have a second can of fish either!"

The culprit rolled her eyes, swatting at a chili-filled hand with the spatula.

"You're both impossible. How did you even survive before me?"

"Barely," Natsu laughed. "But we could handle ourselves just fine!"

"If you liked it on your own that much, you better hurry with that last wish so you can get rid of me again," she retorted with a half-hearted huff, lifting her nose.

Chuckling, natsu turned to continue slicing the meat into fine, mouth-sized pieces, just like she'd instructed it. How _had_ he survived without her?

He wasn't eager to be reminded.

"I told you, maybe I'll just never use it."

"Well wouldn't that be terrible," she said as she rolled her eyes to reprimand him, "You'd have to stay with me forever."

"Well, I sure wish I could."

Natsu smiled, turning his head to cast her a loving look. She wasn't where he thought she'd be, and he furrowed his brows.

Then he froze, his heart sinking like a rock.

"Lucy?"

Nothing.

 _I sure wish I could._

This didn't count, did it? It couldn't.

Even if it did, nobody was to say…

"Lucy!" he begged, turning in a circle, but the flat was empty. He could _feel_ it was empty.

"I didn't mean it! I take it back!"

Of course, nothing happened. Every wish was irrevocable, and this was no exception.

"I wished for her to stay," he whispered, on the verge of slamming the knife he still held into the table. Blind anger flared up in him. It wasn't fair. "Why is she gone?!"

"Where's Lucy?" he heard Happy ask, his innocent voice only adding to his turmoil.

"I don't know," he murmured, eyes staring emptily at the sauce bubbling on the stove, scared his voice might break. "I don't know."


	12. Chapter 12

**capricorn**

* * *

The flat still felt empty.

Natsu rolled out of bed until he hit the ground with a dull thud, sitting up groggily.

"Alright!" he called to motivate himself, but showed no signs of movement.

Pulling a face, he groaned extensively. Getting up was not fun at all anymore.

 _Everything_ was not that much fun anymore. Loneliness clung to his flat like dust.

His heart still ached, though some days less than others.

Experience had taught him more than once that time didn't really heal wounds, it just covered them under layers of forgetting, in hopes they wouldn't be ripped open.

Natsu ripped them open constantly, and sometimes he wondered if he liked the pain. If he thought he deserved it.

A knock on the door disturbed his depressing thoughts.

"No," he grumbled, but not loud enough to hear.

He hadn't ordered anything.

He hadn't ordered anything in two years. One because there had been no need with Lucy by his side, and one because there had been no need with Lucy _not_ by his side.

There was nothing he truly wanted if he couldn't share it with her.

If this was a person selling vacuum cleaners _again_ , god help him, he'd buy one and then he'd use it to suck the vendor right up.

Finally getting up off the floor when the knock sounded again, he messily draped the thin sheets around his hips and dragged his feet over to the door. Happy was on his heels, but halfway through the room the cat turned towards the kitchen for his morning feast.

At least he still was able to talk. Lucy's wishes had lasted even if she had not.

He wasn't as lonely with him by his side. Happy was the only one who understood; the only one who'd known her too.

Sometimes he wondered if she was somewhere else in the world now, granting another person's wishes, or if she was back to the star she had so magically and unexpectedly appeared from. If she sometimes thought of him.

Those were his favoured options. He didn't like to think of other, darker ones, creeping up onto him in the dark of night. What if he had used up her entire existence with a silly little wish too many? What if she was forever gone from his world and her own?

Natsu reached the door, glaring down at the handle in front of him.

The knock sounded again.

"Yes, yes," he grumbled, reaching out his hand to press it down with more force than necessary. It swung open outwards quite rapidly, causing the person on the other side to jump back in surprise.

"Sor–" The words died in Natsu's throat.

"You really should be sorry," the woman said, crossing her arms over her chest as she fought back a large smile. "You wished me God knows where."

Natsu didn't respond.

"It took me a year to find back!" she went on, blinking away tears he thought – hoped – might be happy ones, "I didn't even remember anything for the longest time. Because you wished me bloody human, that's what you–"

Lucy didn't get to finish her sentence.

A happy sob escaped her as Natsu tackled her into a bone-crushing hug, breathing her name in disbelief and simple, unadulterated joy.

"Natsu," she whispered back, her smile stretching so wide it hurt, and felt him laugh against her throat in response.

When he finally pulled back, they beamed at each other through their tears.

Neither knew who moved in first, but it didn't really matter. They laughed as their lips collided almost violently, noses smashing as they held onto each other.

They couldn't stop smiling throughout the entirety of the tearful kiss. They didn't even pull apart when Happy came running, clawing his way up Natsu's leg to cuddle between them and join their reunion.

"You'll never leave again, right Lucy?" he cried, and a blinding smile spread across her face as she massaged his ears and shook her head.

"I'll stay however long you wish," she said, glancing at Natsu, and he grinned back.

"Good," he decided.

Some said freckles brought good luck. Some said they were the marks of the devil.

But Natsu thought he finally knew his answer.

Freckles were stars that dropped from the sky to settle on your skin. They were magic sprinkles of fire.

And sometimes, they were just the beginning of true wonders.

* * *

 _And here our little ride ends. You probably have many questions. That's okay. I have them too. They're not supposed to be answered. (I don't have any answers either.)_

 _I hope you enjoyed this odd little ficlet as much as I did! ^-^ Thanks for coming along!_


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